If you want a difficult job, start a blog. call it Positively Arsenal, then sit back and wait to be beaten 6 0 by the team that is everything you detest in the game, and then do a write up.
I feel like taking to my bed, pulling the sheets over my head and whimpering until August.
Six nil, that’s SIX NIL, Jesus H Christ.
There can be no excuses for losing six nil. None. Yes we had half the first team missing, but so what? Every player fielded is a better player than most teams in the league can boast, and I don’t see them losing 6 3 ,5 1 and six bastard nil.
There is something wrong. There is!
But what?
How can the same eleven that defended so well at Spurs play like that? It almost beggars belief.
Its easy to say we should have started Flamini in tandem with Arteta and sat back a little more, with the fullbacks holding their positions, but to do that you need pace in the side to break away and score. Where is that coming from?
So we play a high line and get ripped to pieces. Why?
Well from what I can recall it was because we lost possession in midfield . AOC and Santi were most culpable, but even Tomas joined in when we conceded for what seemed like the eighteenth time.
It would be fair to ask why a 20 year old was asked to play in a game this big, in the centre of midfield, when he is still learning the game. Then again, were you asking that question before the game? If so what were the alternatives?
Mikel looks too slow to be playing the holding role if we are playing a high line, and Aaron is not there to compensate, but again, what were the alternatives?
Are the lack of alternatives down to injuries, or is it Arsene’s fault for not buying? Or both?
You can’t blame the manager for the players being nothing short of woeful.
However I can’t excuse Arsene either. He has to be held responsible to some degree, the buck stop there, as they say.
Forget that the wrong player was sent off , for a non-red card offence , the damage was done. At least the chance of getting anything from the game had already gone.
That display was totally unacceptable and everyone concerned should be admonished.
Hang on though, let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Let’s not forget what has been good until this point. Let’s remember what wonderful football this team and these players have given us.
We must think things could and would be very different with Theo, Jack, Aaron and Ozil in the side.
All is not lost. Top 4 and the FA cup is still a distinct possibility.
As we keep getting told, there is money to spend in the summer.
All we can do is carry on supporting, there is no alternative.
Positively Arsenal 
Thank Gawd Chelsea did not have Ramires and Willian on the field yesterday
We might have got a bit of a spanking
Don’t make excuses
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GP @ 5:27 pm – Yup. Of course the Suarez ship has sailed and is high at sea. But I wonder how many of those who objected to his signing for strictly moralistic reasons are willing to now stand up for Wenger when he could badly use this type of player to beat teams like Chelsea and City.
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That’s what I have been thinking since yesterday. Do we know if KOSHER picked up an injury or was pulled do to performance issues??
there were times during the second half of seemed we were playing with ithree
In the back. And VERMALEN trying to play the box to box. Or being the rock so MIKEL could push a bit more forward and help ROSICKY.
2-0 , 3-0 or more doesn’t make a difference to us. The goal differential battle was lost some time ago. If we are to win the points are going to get us the title. We shouldn’t have conceded the two early goals so easily. To be fair both were very well taken and placed. After that we shouldn’t have and didn’t concern ourselves with getting more scored on us. We had to go forward and try to get a foot hold in the game and anytime you do that you leave yourself susceptible to getting scored on by counterattacks. The third goal was a farce. Mariner didn’t see a thing and got bullied into calling upstairs for replay to see what had happened. He should have waved play on continued. The EPL does not have an option to call upstairs to watch the replay. The OX did well to get back in the goal to support WOJO . I didn’t think the touch was intentional as he was trying to head the ball away from danger. He should not be punished and the red on KEIRON rescinded. .
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Shotta, I think that is a great point. Unfortunately OG doesn’t have the speed and one on one capabilities to do damage on his own. We still ought not allow teams to score so many goals, overall, much less in the space of a few minutes and we did have players that were capable to win yesterday. I think more caution is needed, away from home especially. We simply have to be able to see what is happening and make changes mid flight.
I fully concur with Frank and Layksite @ 6:41 and 7:06.
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I think we are fine to be honest, I think we have the players to get it done for the most part. Less injuries and a striker that can do damage on his own. Not that I want OG to leave but there are times you need that extra bit of skill and pace, up top. Maybe Walcott can provide that? And If we could only get Diaby back…
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Shotta, regardless, my objection remains, aside from the fact that Liverpool are currently above us in the table so that ship has sailed. I don’t see the point of harping on ‘what could have beens’
Anicoll, I don’t think it’s about excuses, it’s just about recognising some of the factors that contributed to the nightmare that befell us. It’s shameful, embarrassing etc, but laying into all and sundry will not change the fact that we got our asses handed to us like naive little children. Supporters turning on the club is not going to help the team recover for the next game on Tuesday. By the time by bum is on that seat in the North bank upper tier, I will have put this game behind me and be ready to support the boys to get back up on that metaphorical horse. What else can I do that would be of any use to anybody?
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I agree with Passenal’s bum
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I don’t get this ‘striker that can create for himself’ bs? Cut off the supply to the ugly goofy racist as we have done twice this season and he is less effective. It’s a team game at the end of the day. Some strikers may be more selfish and/or more accurate/clinical with limited chances, but at the end of the day, none of them can do it on their own. Where OG suffers is that part of his strength is holding up and laying off the ball to goal scoring midfielders. In the absence of our most effective players in that role, the whole team suffers. His strengths suit how we want to play, but he is badly exposed when we cannot play that game and due to injuries our plan b is not available.
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btw I assume that Oxo cannot be punished retrospectively because the referee had taken action, and KG will be let off because he did not do it. Under the circumstances I don’t think that anyone can accuse us of having got away with that one..
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Passenal, agreed, it is a team game but sometimes a striker needs to be able to beat players one on one. Unfortunately OG struggles to do that. I say there is enough room for varying styles of players in our team. We did try to sign the racist after all.
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Hmm – if the excuses are not correct – and the claims we failed in midfield because we were missing some/all our key midfield players then I face the horror of Luiz and Matic = midfield maestros !!
Thank goodness the usual excuses a) we were tired after a CL game b) the opposition kicked our brave lads early on and/or c) it’s the referee’s fault were not raised
Oh and ” they’ve got more cash than us ”
Just not on yesterday just bollox
I trust we shall be revving up to slaughter the Swans
And then and then ……….
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Come come COLL.
they do outspend us by a factor of twenty. That is not an excuse but a fact.
It is also a fact that in my opinion the referee was not a major factor in yesterdays outcome. And neither was the rough stuff trying to break our players legs.
That doesn’t change the last fact that in games past these two factors have played a very big part in the final outcome. Amongst other factors such as pitch condition, injuries & ECT..
Its a game of matchups and we came out on the short end with the team that can’t be too happy with their performance.
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Excellent exchange on PA today. I appreciated the variety of opinions. Respect to all.
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Its like that almost 100% of the time SHOTTA. as it should be between people who like and respect each other. There is a certain kinship amongst this group of gooners that makes PA such a special place. Not much do we know of each other but we all.love the same club with red hot passion and none have an hidden agenda.
By the way, FRANK , you are such a rascal. (0(
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Anicoll, I think you are being very unfair in your attempt to find no mitigating factors at all. Kicking of players, outspending etc has a cumulative effect. It may not in and of itself explain yesterday, but it gives the context. Without being able to have £50m players in reserve in case of emergencies and having key players out injured due to the cumulative effect of the extra kicks that are allowed against our players does make a difference over the course of a season. If you choose not to see that and hold our players totally to account is up to you. I don’t see anyone here excusing the players and manager from having totally fucked up on Saturday, but some of us understand the context in which that disaster happened and whilst we accept there is blame to be apportioned, we are not in the business of kicking people while they are down if we claim to be supporters. We need to find mitigation to enable us to carry on in our role as cheerleaders. Without the ability to do that, we might as well give up and join the opposition in making it more difficult than it already is for our guys in the situation they find themselves.
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The issue of money might be relevant if on Saturday we had been forced to field a group of callow youngsters or second team players across our midfield and they had been swept away by the superior technique of a group of Chelsea’ s expensively assembled players.
Seems to me Santi, the Ox, Poldi,Mikel and Thomas are every bit as good if not better than their Chelsea counterparts in terms of footballing skills, and in terms of experience we were well ahead of them
I am pleased to hear that the players and AW got together yesterday for a meeting to try to sort out wtf is going on in these shocking non contests.
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I say we nominate Passenal for the new chairwoman of the AST.
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Anicoll, I’m not denying that the players we had on the pitch were not experienced or good enough to have done better, but with our current injuries there was not a lot of variety on the bench to change the balance of the team. We also know little about the true physical condition of the players on the day either. I don’t see what value is added by laying into them. I’m sure they feel bad enough already.
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Hehehehehe:
http://gibbsorox.com
The best bit? The recommendation to use video replay if you fail.
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Just got this email from my wife about our son Daniel (nearly 9).
“Just so you know, for the first time this term Daniel insisted on taking his arsenal boot bag defiantly into school today.
He also told me last night at bedtime exactly what points about Chelsea he was arming himself with for school today. He was adamant that they cheat, that they were given money by a rich russian to buy players rather than earning their own team, and he wants to ask their many fans at school how they’ve got on in FA Cup this year. He told me that he would remind anyone who taunted him that Chelsea lost to Sunderland and Aston Villa. Hope he’s ok today!
He’s also furious with the arsenal defence on behalf of Szczesny who Daniel says actually had a really good game..”
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It’s very hard to attempt to get to the nub of the matter without having a heart to heart with Arsene, some players, others too. All else is speculative, except the performance and result. However, one can easily spot the problem; it’s staring us in the face.
The players have buckled three times under pressure of expectation. City was “are we as good as them, now the test”. Pool was “they’ve caught us, ye gods, can we sort them out, away”. A week later without the same pressure (we were now the underdogs) we sorted Liverpool out. And Chelsea was “game of the season, millenium big deal, masses of publicity, plus potential title decider of sorts”. All three were away. All three against our “peers”. All three in the intensity of spotlight. Spot the pattern?
The problem is psychological. It has to do with the trophy blight, necessitated by the spending issue, geared to the stadium issue, and trebly “unfair”. It is associated with collective memory about Arsenal. It is notoriously hard to overcome, but can be.
A study commissioned in Norway 4 or so years back, interested in the phenomenon of otherwise top level performance athletes “imploding”, produced definitive results (mainly football + US football) that collective psychological memory in sports, call it simplistically “the habit” of winning or losing, is a decisive factor in sports results. It is statistically marginal, a few 0.something percentage points, deceptive but the pattern is clear and unmistakable and is accentuated (peaks) in critical matches. It has little to do with individual players, skill, performance, form, and the most extraordinary finding is that it continues in the same club even after former players/manager have left.
Clubs, as collective entities, have “memories and minds”. Crazy hey? It is about overcoming “fear of failure” (an imagined, deeply subconscious personal and curiously collectively communicated fear, “every time you have a mountain to climb, the collective subconscious makes it look bigger, as this is communicated across and by players with alarming speed”); it is confronted, overcome, by actually winning critical encounters, so erasing and re-writing collective memory, or in our case recalibrating the collective memory to the former Invincibles and prior period. It is a gradual process. It is a problem within a problem within a problem because saying to players “this one is REALLY important” with lots of preparation may have the opposite effect. Such a match must be considered relatively unimportant (“a small mountain”), but then risk that players aren’t adequately prepared, and are beaten by what looks like their arrogance.
Well, that’s my crazy take, and I’m sticking with it, because it’s the only one I can see sense in. It’s also just common sense.
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In Arsenal’s case, a catastrophic systems failure like Chelsea might just do the trick because you need a stronger motivation than “fear of failure” to take over the default drive. Something must be bigger. Anger is good, revenge, self-respect. An angry team is a hungry team. I don’t want to blame the fans, who seem to have rallied to some extent, but they are a big part of fear of failure (also called fear of success) at our club.
In any event I just want to remind all timid fans that in the year of the double ’71, Arsenal was written off, much as today, they didn’t stand a chance, they had no chance it was as plain as mud. They only just kept themselves in contention through the season, barely more than “likely also-rans”, had their share of awful failures proving they were not in the running, and yet unbelievably, quite impossibly, they nicked it.
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In my humble opinion, the defeat at Chelsea, its scale and awfulness, unwelcome as it is, might not have come at a better time as the single prime motivating factor, with just enough games left. In any event, I’m a bastard when it comes to giving up, I just don’t.
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You wouldn’t still be living in Zim if you gave up easily. Don’t think anyone is giving up, except those who already gave up years ago. And although it might be unfashionable to say this rght now., I don’t think the players gave up on Saturday either.
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Interesting stuff ZP
It is also probably worth bearing in mind that football is a shocking random game.
Giroud’s shot on 4 minutes is clean rather than scuffed, sails past a shocked Cech and the headlines this weekend and and this morning would be quite different.
I want some LUCK
I demand some LUCK
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@foreverheady 11.45
LMAO
This is just like my daughters, who have been indoctrinated already. Chelsea, Spuds and Manchester United are the enemy.
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Excellent observations about sports psychology by Zim. If true, and I have no reason to doubt, this presents a hell of a challenge to AW and the team but especially AW since he has had to manage through these fallow years. He himself, despite all previous success, must have moments even periods of doubt, as he is constantly reminded of current failings. One thing he can count on is my support as long as he is at the helm.
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Zimpaul,
Thanks for that interesting post. It’s food for thought. I wonder if it make explain why we can oscillate between putting the handbrake on sometimes, and all out attack. Our attack doesn’t seem as fluent as it has been in recent seasons. I think the defence has been better.
However, we have to work with the players we have till the end of the season, and we as fans have got to support those players.
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why shoudl it represent a challenge to wenger? wenger does have the mentality and psychology and guts to compete against giants with peanuts.. does MIKEL ARTETA have the balls to own his opponents on the pitch who earn more than him? if he doesnt then send him away in the summer..and every other mikel arteta…..note i have selected a 32 year old seasoned cultured professional who should have known better and ordered ox to stop smashing his head agaisnt a brick wall as well as ordering per to sit back a bit.
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i also expect them all to pick up ball from opponents net and place it at centre to have another go and keep doing it till end of season. i dont want to see them celebrate anything, no goals, novictories, no selfies. wenger’s 1000th game and they dare play like that ? Bould to unleash the caveman/cannibal in him.
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fabianksi to play for chesney till end of season, and if we have to sell one of them we sell woijech. arteta and giroud…sell them both , today if possible. ivan to get sacked for missing on suarez and allowing henry to make mugs out of us. Wenger, slap them all and tell them if they failt o win every game from now till the end then there will be a 50-75% drop on their salaries. if they dont like it tell them to go fuck themselves and their mothers too and promote eisfeld akpom etc ….i am insufferable i know but like fuck if some timid characters mark and tarnish wenger’s legacy.
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Shotta, sorry for the late, late reply to your post. I was busy with a lady friend from out of town this week-end and football was the furthest thing from my mind.
The Arteta, Ox pivot? It worked at Bayern so I don’t see why we should dump it altogether. I don’t think these players’ positions is what made us get thumped. We just came out half asleep for those first ten minutes like we did against Liverpool.
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here’s some good news U21s up after eight minutes against west ham, Chuba gets his goal after being recalled from his loan spell at Coventry.
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ZP, the 71 team also got spanked 4-0 at stoke something big Frank mac tends to forget about when commenting on the modern team.
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5-0 AoB !
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What of course would be simply glorious would be if we were to win every game between now and the end of the season 1-0.
And if, because of the way the other results all went, that meant we won the league by a single point it would be even more wonderful.
Just take a moment to imagine the way that would be received by one and all. Not proper winners. Not the best side in the league. Not fair.
And of course there is the outside chance that Chelsea just might end the season without a trophy.
There now: suddenly things don’t seem so bad.
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the u21 game sounds a cracker Chuba scores his second from the spot after being brought down, now 3-2. Olsson with the other goal
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cheers A5 and stoke didn’t have billions to spend at the time surely that was a worse result.
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Zac Ansah comes on and makes his return from injury lets hope he shows his teckers
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and duly Ansah scores on his return 4-3
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I have no doubt Wenger is aware of the conundrum, the scale of this mental climb. I have worked with someone (in music, strangely not a million miles away) who had a sink or swim approach, and would set up the band to scale heights never imagined. We thought he was hanging us out to dry (ZimPaul, you do a 30 minute world class solo on this song and keep the audience interested!). He wasn’t, he was telling us what it takes, what we were made of, conquering our worst fears. A timid draw against Chelsea was no good, and would not have worked as a tactic, it is the “lesser team” approach; we must play our game our way and be seen to beat them as the better team on the day and crush that mental block. That, I do believe is Wenger’s approach. Risky! But I see no other approach myself. It sure sorts out the “this” from the “that”, whichever way the dice roll. There’s nowhere to hide now.
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What would I do without PA? The comments on here are just what are needed after a terrible result like that. I have only skimmed the headlines on my news aggregator and just do not want to go anywhere else other than here and Untold.
ZP, great stuff yet again……
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Good point G-P: where else indeed? And for me PA shades it due to the quality of writing and somehow slightly less look at me self-satisfied.
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Hunter, you’re treading on thin ice.
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no george you dont seem to get it…i dotn want the title or the f.a cup … fuck them all…all i want to see is our footballers scoring goals and taking the ball back in the centre line and showing absolutely no fuckin emotion and then scoiring another and another and another. until wenger tells them to stop, wjhci i hope will be sometime in 2021 and he has collected every honour he deserves.
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had to go elsewhere earlier but the U21s won 5-3 and Chuba got his hat-trick so I would imagine he will be on the bench tomorrow. Also ox and Gibbo given the all clear for tomorrow. Nice to see Hector Bellerin in the squad for tomorrow.
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What a star everyone is on here and I really do think that the squad would benefit from a ZP sports psychology work session. The idea of the day though is for Passenal to be in charge of AST….and hunter don’t be so fucking grumpy. . . .
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Thanks for the U21 news, a_or_b. I hope AW will be around to see many of them flourish as first team players. No fucker out there but Arsenal fans knows about the youngsters…our little secret.
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Got my ticket for 12th April….perhaps Saturday will spur the squad into action. No fuck ups between now and the end of the season. Every game just pure and focused fury. No quarter.
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Bugger. Everyone’s gone in for their tea
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